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or rather carry on board infected clothing, etc. Therefore, as a matter of precaution, at certain times of the year, these vessels are subjected to a thorough disinfection at this port, even if all on board are well. Thus no element of doubt remains as to the possible presence of contagion on board, and the vessel proceeds to the city in a clean and wholesome condition. The frequency with which disinfection is now performed renders it imperative that every effort should be made to interfere as little as possible with commerce. The construction of the "James W. Wadsworth" has, I believe, reduced this period of detention to a minimum. A general description of its use may be of interest. Upon the arrival of a vessel which is required to be held for disinfection, the "Wadsworth" steams alongside and is fastened to the ship. The crew, under the supervision of a quarantine officer, place their clothing and bedding in bundles, which are transferred to the disinfecting boat. Through an opening in the after part of the deck they are dropped into the cradle of the disinfecting chamber, which has been pulled out for their reception. In this cradle are also placed the ship's hangings and all other materials which are to be disinfected by steam. The crew are then transferred to the deck of the "Wadsworth" and pass down the companionway in the stern and enter the disrobing-room. Here they remove their cloth. ing, which is also put in bundles, and upon which are pinned metallic checks containing numbers. Duplicates of these numbers on rubber cords, are hung around the necks of the owners. These bundles are placed with the others in the steam chamber. The men pass forward to the bathrooms, and after bathing they again pass forward into the dressing-room, where, upon the presentation of their checks, they receive their clothing and their effects which have passed through the steam apparatus. After dressing they ascend to the deck of the "Wadsworth" and return to their ship; the bedding, etc., is also returned immediately after treatment. Materials such as furs, silk goods, leather, etc., which are injured by steam are placed in separate packages and dropped through an opening in the forward part of the deck into the steel chamber constructed for disinfection with formaldehyde gas. After the removal of the crew, clothing, bedding, etc., from the ship, employees of the "Wadsworth" are sent aboard for the purpose of scrubbing, cleaning, and disinfecting the forecastle

and other apartments marked for treatment. A hot soda solution is first used. This is carried from tanks on the disinfecting boat by hose. The application of this solution with the aid of brushes removes the grease and filth; following this cleaning, the woodwork is sprayed with a solution of corrosive sublimate, or the apartments are fumigated with sulphurous acid gas. Upon the completion. of the treatment described, and the return of the men to the ship, the disinfection is completed and the vessel allowed to proceed. Particular attention is always paid on these ships to the forecastle, which is usually filthy and almost always the seat of infection, when it exists on board. It is a source of considerable satisfaction to witness the demonstration of pleasure, upon the part of the crew, upon entering the apartments assigned to them on the "Wadsworth." These rooms are supplied with a metallic lining, enamelled white, which covers the walls, ceiling, and floors, and which is kept scrupulously clean; with the pleasing interior, plenty of clean towels, a shower bath having an agreeable temperature, they evidently feel that there is nothing more in this line to be desired. The ships in question carry a crew of from ten to forty or fifty, and the entire treatment occupies about five hours. This, however, does not include the disinfection of the cargo or hold of the vessel, which only in rare instances is presumably infected. Should a case of contagious disease be found on board, the individual is first removed and the treatment above described follows, after which the crew is either removed to Hoffman Island for observation, leaving the agent to select other men to take the vessel to the city, or the ship remains at quarantine with the crew on board. This is admissible, as the number is small and can be consistently cared for on board. The general rules, as above described, are modified in certain instances, but the principle of the work is adhered to in all cases.

On the arrival of a large passenger ship having on board one or more cases of infectious disease, the cases are first transferred to the hospital at Swinburne Island, the passengers and their luggage removed to Hoffman Island for disinfection alone, or disinfection and observation-depending on the disease and the amount of exposure. The ship and crew are then treated in the manner already described.

Simply an outline of the procedure has been given. A description of the details of the work and the great care neces

sary during the inspection and disinfection would exceed the limits of this article.

In conclusion, I may say that with the exercise of proper care and the use of the modern appliances already described, it is reasonable to assume that the detention of a ship beyond the period necessary for thorough disinfection will soon be a thing of the past. Quarantine detention will then affect only passengers and crew, who are held for observation, or to complete a period of incubation. I repeat what I have already said, that the treatment of a presumably infected ship and passengers together is as a rule impracticable, inconsistent, and not sustained by experience, and that an infected ship and its passengers should, if possible, part company immediately upon the arrival in port, that each may be treated as the occasion demands. The fact that a port of entry does not contain accommodations for persons held for observation is unfortunate for all.

It would seem that with the practical application of the scientific knowledge of germ life we now possess, and with the absolute certainty of the destruction of these micro-organisms by proper disinfection, the quarantine work of the future will receive the respect and hearty co-operation of the public.

ALVAH H. DOTY.

THEOSOPHY AND ETHICS.

BY E. T. HARGROVE, PRESIDENT OF THE THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETIES IN AMERICA, EUROPE, AND AUSTRALASIA.

FEW systems of thought have been more widely misunderstood. and misrepresented than that known as Theosophy. Only within the last few years have people begun to realize that the Theosophical Society and the philosophy so many of its members adhere to must be taken into serious account as important factors in the moulding of modern thought. The newspapers, though now we number many warm supporters among them, and receive intelligent consideration from nearly all, were formerly of the belief that Theosophists exclusively concerned themselves with weird phenomena, and reporters felt it at once their privilege and pleasure to make extravagant "copy" out of theosophical commonplace. John Stuart Mill well said that "all reforms have to pass through three stages, viz., ridicule, argument, and adoption." Theosophy has won its way well into the second stage, with the growing certainty of attaining the third at no distant future.

It was thought to be something new, to be but another invention of this peculiarly inventive age. Further acquaintance showed that theosophy, a word meaning Divine Wisdom, was older than history, and that its nineteenth century exponents laid particular stress upon its immense antiquity, asserting that they were merely repeating that which the sages of every race and age had invariably taught. They further made it clear that instead of pursuing the uncanny and extraordinary, they were studying the nature of man and the universe, taking the sacred books and philosophical treatises of the world as their text-books, and, by way of propaganda, were trying to remind the humanity of to-day of long forgotten truths which harmonized with all true religion, science, and philosophy.

Ignorant people in every century have hastily concluded that they and their contemporaries were hugely superior to their forbears. There are many persons in this generation who consider Rider Haggard, whom they have read, the superior of Shakespeare, whom they have not read; Professor Huxley a greater more brilliant light than Plato; Henry Ward Beecher a representative of religion than old Martin Luther, or Ananda, the beloved disciple of Gautama, or Shankaracarya, of whom they have probably never heard at all. The tendency of every historical epoch has been to glorify itself at the expense of its predecessors, and recent advances in the physical scihave done much to accentuate this very human habit. Fortunately, there are always exceptions to such the rules, and a few thinking people, among them Theosophists, have ventured to ask if it be not possible that man himself has been overlooked in this present universal analysis of all visible things; if it be not reasonable to suppose that the ancients-who professed to study themselves rather than the phenomena around them-may have gathered information of vital importance, concerning their own states of consciousness at any rate, which would be both instructive and helpful if placed at the disposal of mankind to-day?

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Man soon wearies of new fads and fancies. The worship of matter has already ceased to be fashionable. It is only unchanging truth that holds man's interest to the end. He may turn from it, may devote his mind and heart to transitory sensations, but sooner or later and often unknowingly, he returns to his everlasting search for truth and wisdom. The only conceivable object of life is to learn how to live, and those who reject this theory of life and seek pleasure or knowledge even, without regard to results, are learning their lessons just the same. some children who will never believe that fire burns until they have scorched their fingers.

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Many are beginning to realize that the science of right living is worthy of the deepest attention, and, as a result, the orthodox systems of ethics are being discarded as unsatisfactory. These systems may be roughly classified under two categories: first, the dogmatic system, common to all religions, which asserts that certain moral laws should be obeyed because they are the laws of God, revealed in some sacred book; and second, the utilitarian system,

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